Review: Peaces by Helen Oyeyemi

When Otto and Xavier Shin decided to go on an epic train journey for their non-honeymoon honeymoon, they had no idea what to expect. Not only are they the only two passengers on board, but the vehicle is home to the mysterious Ava Kapoor and her lifetime of secrets. As the two men begin to piece together Ava’s unusual background, and the circumstances that led to her living on the train, they realize that they’re sharing more than just their time together. For some inexplicable reason, the Shins and Ava are tied by more than just geography – they also share a mystery; the curious case of people unseen.

For Ava, it’s an invisible man she refuses to believe exists. For Otto, it’s a mysterious figure he failed to save from a burning building, and for Xavier, it’s the ex whose love he didn’t fully appreciate. As their journey progresses, the unseen and forgotten players from the character’s pasts slowly begin to play a larger role, blurring the fine lines between reality, memory and delusion. All the while, it becomes increasingly clear that another line is being blurred; that between passenger and prisoner.

Peaces is more than just a story; it’s a journey. Through gloriously written prose that reads like poetry, we are able to follow in Helen Oyeyemi’s footsteps. As she takes us deeper into a world of possibility and improbability, it’s enough to make you question your own existence and be thankful for it. The care with which Oyeyemi writes, and the intricate meanings she conveys through her prose, have given this book a mirror-like quality. Not only does the language impress and sparkle like well-polished silver, but the words themselves slowly join forces to ensnare and capture the reader into a larger-than-life fairytale. And you will not want to escape. Being in a world created by this author feels like purpose; her words beg to be read, and digested, and shared. Who am I to deny that?

Peaces by Helen Oyeyemi is published by Faber & Faber, a Bloomsbury company, and can be found in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.